Tim Burton Squashes ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Rumors: ‘There’s Nothing Concrete Yet’

“It’s something that I really would like to do in the right circumstances,” director explains

Beetlejuice
Warner Bros.

“Beetlejuice” director Tim Burton has set the record straight on reports of a sequel in the works, and although he’s “interested in” making one, “there’s nothing concrete yet.”

“It’s something that I really would like to do in the right circumstances, but it’s one of those films where it has to be right,” the filmmaker told Collider. “It’s not a kind of a movie that cries out [for a sequel], it’s not the ‘Beetlejuice’ trilogy. So it’s something that if the elements are right–because I do love the character and Michael [Keaton] is amazing as that character, so yeah we’ll see. But there’s nothing concrete yet.”

In 2013, news broke that Burton was officially in talks to direct the sequel for Warner Bros., with Keaton expected to reprise his role as the titular fast-talking, black-and-white stripe-wearing ghost with the most.

Rumors that the film was moving forward have surfaced since, and in March, reports circulated once again that “Beetlejuice 2” had a script and Winona Ryder and Keaton were expected to return. However, Burton’s rep denied those claims, saying that the reports were based on fabricated quotes from the director.

Last year, Ryder told Seth Meyers that the sequel to the 1988 comedy was happening. “I think I can confirm it, because Tim Burton did this interview — like, it was very hush hush, top secret … and then he was doing some press for ‘Big Eyes’ and he did an on-camera interview and he said, ‘Oh yeah we’re doing it and Winona’s going to be in it,’ and I was like [shocked face].”

But after three years of back and forth, Burton seems to be shutting down production rumors — for now.

“This is the thing, it’s something that I’m interested in, but there’s so many stories [online], dumping Michael Keaton for Johnny Depp and this or that, and I’ve talked to these people and they didn’t wanna hear this so they just made up a story,” Burton commented on the fabricated statements. “But the fact of it is I have talked to Michael and I have talked to Winona, I’ve talked to a few people.”

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